Bon Voyeur

Responding to an extraordinary public demand, more and more television programs are being based around a whole new genre—confrontational voyeurism.

They are the type of production that allows viewers to watch as participants indulge in unpleasant, ill-mannered displays.

The first big success story in the field came with the notorious Sylvania Waters. It has been followed by a succession of so-called "reality" shows. Their only common denominator is that they are just plain nasty.

It's hard to imagine Aunty ABC being involved in such a deplorable trend by exploiting our baser instincts, but this has already happened.

Indeed, the ABC was the leader in the race to present confrontational voyeurism to the public and our national broadcaster has been broadcasting this kind of rubbish for years.

It's called Question Time in Parliament.

If you have a taste for things unpleasant you can tune in and enjoy real-life slanging matches without having to watch commercials.

I understand that the major networks have approached the Prime Minister's Department with an offer to buy the broadcast rights to Question Time, despite its lacklustre cast.

Who knows? It might become the hottest property on Australian television.